Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet pan (18" X 13") with parchment paper. Spray paper and sides lightly with a non-stick baking spray.
Place egg whites in a bowl. Mix with a mixer with a whisk attachment over high speed until light and foamy. With mixer running on a medium speed, slowly add ½ cup sugar. Return speed to high and continue mixing until stiff peaks are formed. Carefully remove whites from mixing bowl and set aside.
6 egg whites, ½ cup sugar
In same mixing bowl, add egg yolks, ¼ cup of sugar and vanilla. Mix with whisk attachment over high speed until pale yellow (3-4 minutes).
6 egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
Add ½ egg whites to batter. Gently fold in using a spatula. Repeat with remaining egg whites.
Sprinkle ½ flour over egg mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour.
1 cup cake flour
Place batter on prepared baking sheet pan. Spread evenly over baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until top is very lightly browned.
Have a clean kitchen towel on counter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
¼ cup powdered sugar
When cake is removed from oven, gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan with a knife. Quickly invert the entire baking sheet pan onto the towel. Remove parchment paper. Starting with the short end, carefully roll cake (with towel). Set aside on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
Filling
Slice strawberries into thin slices. Sprinkle with sugar. Stir slightly and set aside.
3 cups fresh strawberries, 2 Tablespoons sugar
Whip cream until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar and vanilla.
½ cup heavy whipping cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Gently unroll cake and remove towel. Lay cake flat. (ends will stay slightly curled)
Heat strawberry jam in microwave for 20-30 seconds until warm and runny. Spread jam on cake. Spread whipped cream over jam.
½ cup strawberry jam
Drain any excess liquid off strawberries and place strawberries in an even layer on cake.
Starting with a short end of cake, carefully roll cake. Place on a tray with seam side down. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until completely chilled.
Topping
Whip remaining cream until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar and vanilla.
1 cup heavy whipping cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Remove cake from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Gently spread whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Place strawberries on top of cake in a decorative manner.
strawberries
Notes
Tips for Rolling Cake:
The trick to rolling a cake successfully is making certain you are ready when the cake comes out of the oven. Use a clean cotton towel. I used a thin flour sack dish towel.
Lay the towel out on the counter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Once the cake comes out of the oven, invert the baking sheet right onto the towel. Then roll up the cake with the towel.
You roll while the cake is fresh out of the oven. The towel gets rolled right with the cake to keep the cake from sticking to itself.
Once the cake is fully cooled, you can gently unroll, remove the towel and the cake will easily roll right back up again. The picture above shows the cake after the towel has been removed.